Thursday, December 25, 2014

Monroe was definitely not a natural blonde. I've never seen such an explicit
image as this one from the subway photo shoot - it's from this German web site.

Another piece of music that I plan to use in my play about Marilyn Monroe is Keep Your Skirts Down Mary Ann, which, although published in 1925, appears to be in the public domain, at least according to archive.org. The song is much less famous than "All By Myself" by Irvin Berlin, and was not recorded by Fitzgerald - it's a slightly risque novelty song, not a classic by an American master - but I think it's pretty appropriate considering that the famous photo shoot of Marilyn's skirt being blown up over the subway grate was considered by many to be a critical component of the demise of Monroe's marriage to Joe DiMaggio - allegedly DiMaggio was very upset by the whole thing - although it appears that it was Monroe who actually filed for the divorce.

I have been unable to find a transcript of the lyrics so I guess I'll have to do it myself. The song is set up as two women with Irish brogues, Mrs. Clancy and Mrs. McCann talk about the daughter of one of them, Mary Ann (so I guess her name is Mary Ann McCann har har) who then shows up herself to argue over her sartorial preferences with her mother:

Mrs. McCannHow do you do, Mrs. Clancy?

Mrs. ClancyI'm well thank you, Mrs. McCann and how is yourself?

Mrs. McCannSure I'm all in after the week's wash. Me daughter Mary Ann alone gives me enough to break the back of me.

Mrs. ClancyWell after the looks of her today, your wash will be much lighter next week. I'm just half seeing her coming down the street and all I can say is I'm just glad all my girls are boys. Here she comes now.

Mrs. McCannWell well will you look at her. (Unintelligible. "Hand gunner"?)

(sings)

Mary Ann Mary Ann

Mary AnnYeah?

Mrs. McCannI'm ashamed your name's McCann

Mary AnnWhat's the matter, Mamma dear?

Mrs. McCannMary Ann come over here. Faith is that the dress your bought?

Mary AnnDon't you know they wear 'em short?

Mrs. McCannYou'll get pinched if you get caught.

Mary AnnWell whaddya want from me?

Mrs. McCannKeep your skirts down

Mary AnnAw

Mrs. McCannKeep your skirts down

Mary AnnGee

Mrs. McCannKeep your skirts down, Mary Ann

Mary AnnAw, applesauceGee I have a lovely dimple on my knee.

Mrs. McCannDon't I know it.Faith it wasn't put there for the world to see.Keep your skirts down.

Mary AnnWhaddya mean, down?

Mrs. McCannYou know what I mean. When you sit down, if you can.You'd make any man in town a nervous wreck

Mrs. McCannAll that you will ever catch will be a coldKeep your skirts down

Mary AnnAw whaddya mean down?

Mrs. McCannKeep 'em down, when you sit down, if you can

Mary AnnNowadays you must dress like this to win a lad

Mrs. McCannHmm, faith I didn't do it and I won your dad.

Mary AnnWell he was no bargain.

Mrs. McCannDon't get fresh.Keep your skirts down.

Mary AnnThey're goin' up!

Mrs. McCannWell keep em down, Mary Ann

I never really thought about it before, but I was surprised that the phrase "gee whiz" has been around since at least 1925. The song is pretty silly but the graphic that accompanied the sheet music is quite beautiful. It seems that graphic design for sheet music was at a generally high level if this page is to be believed.